Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Breaking the Rules...

I have a rule. The rule is to NEVER discuss politics with people. I have my opinions and I know A LOT of people who are very passionate about theirs. Don't get me wrong, I am very passionate about my beliefs, but I have seen one too many heated arguments arise out of political differences and to me, it's not worth the drama.

But...there was one thing on our California ballots I was VERY passionate about. It was Proposition 8. For my out of state blog stalkers readers, Prop 8 was on our state ballot to amend the state Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman. It would overturn a recent California Supreme Court decision that had recognized same-sex marriage in California as a fundamental right.

Fifty-two percent of Californians felt it was THEIR right to take away rights of their fellow citizens.

Did you know that this would be the FIRST TIME IN HISTORY that they would change the state constitution and TAKE RIGHTS AWAY from someone?

I thought we had come so far in this country. I thought we were for equality whether Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Gay, Straight, Catholic, Mormon, Christian, Buddhist, Democrat or Republican. I thought we had fought long and hard FOR equality and to see this happening is mind-boggling.

I had a lot of friends and family that voted FOR Prop 8. They recited what most proponents for 8 recited and that was that they did not think that gay marriage should be taught in school. Did you know that schools are not even required to talk about marriage at all? It is up to the local school districts to decide to teach about marriage or not. Did you know that I can honestly say that I don't EVER remember being taught marriage in school. Our school district obviously felt it wasn't a requirement to teach us about marriage. In asking other friends, I got the same answer.

In Education Code Section 51933(b)(7), (come on, I work in the legal field, you know I am going to throw in some legal codes!) it states schools that DO decide to teach about marriage are ONLY required to teach respect for marriage and committed relationships. That is it. It's amazing that Prop 8 had NOTHING to even do with curriculum but everything to do with RIGHTS yet it was twisted and turned to make others believe it had to do with our children. It's sad. It really is.

Now I know some of you voted for it and you are allowed to vote exactly how you feel you should. I DON'T discuss politics because it is always a sore subject with people, but this one, I felt compelled to talk about. I went against what the majority of my family voted and I know this post may spark a debate (which is why I never like to discuss this stuff). But this country is SO GREAT and has come A LONG way in the fight for equality. It's great that all of us have a RIGHT to be who we are. We have the RIGHT to eat in the same restaurants, attend the same schools, ride the same bus, walk down the same side of the street, become the President of the United States and...LOVE and respect whom we want.

For those of you who voted with me and voted NO on Prop 8, I URGE you to sign the Petition to to Re-Open Prop 8

For those that voted for it, I urge you to read up on it and educate yourself as this Petition, as well as the Education Code has A LOT of great information concerning this!

Please don't hate me for my decision to vote how I did. I don't hate you if you decied to vote for it. That is what makes this country wonderful. We all have the RIGHT to vote how we want and BE who we want. I would NEVER tell you that you didn't have the right to do something. I would also never make a law taking away your rights.

This made me very upset and angry as well. I cannot believe as you said, we voted and more than half of Californians voted to deny people in love their right to commit to each other and marry each other. The school things was just nasty propaganda. My boss voted for this, I was amazed and told him that I did not vote for prop 8 because it wouldn't affect my marriage at all...how could it? I asked him repeatedly why he felt it would affect his marriage... guess what? No answer.